US President Joe Biden has publicly warned that his administration will not supply bombs and artillery shells for an offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
The warning was issued during a television interview with CNN on Wednesday night.
The US, the UN, and other aid agencies warn that a potential Rafah invasion could trigger a humanitarian disaster.
“I made it clear that if they go into Rafah – they haven’t gone in Rafah yet – if they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities – that deal with that problem,” he said.
Nonetheless, Biden said the US would continue supplying ammunition for Israel’s main air defense system, the Iron Dome, which helped defend Israel against Iranian missile and drone barrage last month.
“We’re going to continue to make sure Israel is secure in terms of Iron Dome and their ability to respond to attacks that came out of the Middle East recently,” he said. “But it’s just wrong. We’re not going to supply the weapons and artillery shells.”
However, UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan called Biden’s remarks “difficult and very disappointing,” stating it gives Israel’s foes Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah “hope to succeed.”
US officials have said emphatically that the pause in weapons supply wasn’t due to legal concerns. Instead, there’s internal tension in the Biden administration regarding legal judgments that could be used against Israel in disputes before the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice. They clarified that it was a policy decision, and the pause wouldn’t be a one-off if the Rafah offensive continued. Other approved arms deliveries could be delayed, and shipments awaiting approval might also be affected.
The remarks from Biden sparked widespread criticisms with some American Jewish groups and US lawmakers speaking out against the move and others indicating Biden’s claims were unlikely to go beyond words.
Reacting to the comments, Former president Donald Trump accused Biden of siding with terrorists.
“We must continue this war until victory, despite, and to a certain extent precisely because of, the opposition of the administration Biden and the stopping of arms shipments,”
“We simply have no other choice that does not endanger our existence and security,” he added.
However, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, leader of the Otzma Yehudit party, in response tweeted “Hamas [loves] Biden.”
The halt to US munition shipment appears to be the first since the United States gave full support to Israel after Hamas’ 7 October attack, where 1,200 people were killed and about 250 abducted.
Israel’s war to eliminate Hamas has resulted in a seven-month military operation, causing the deaths of 34,789 Palestinians, predominantly civilians, according to the Gaza health ministry.
